Past The Mission... of San Juan Capistrano

Past the mission, Behind the prison door, Past the mission, I once knew a hot girl... You know, the song by Tori Amos...

That is what I kept singing as we walked into the Mission of San Juan Capistrano.  Before we actually entered we saw this little shop across the street.  It has a sign highlighting the swallows. 

 

Matt and I love Dumb and Dumber, it is such a quotable movie!  You know that part where he says the women instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano?  I never knew what it meant, that it was a mis-speak, of course!  The reference is to this place and not salmon, but swallows!

Who knew?  Google did of course, and Matt, because he caught the irony years ago and looked it up.  He still teaches me things, amazing how clueless I am about much of life!

We took the tour of this most beautiful mission and I was on a visual and historic high!  

California is glitzy and glamorous, but this was a beautiful break, this is what is at the core of this state.  I loved learning, looking and photographing.